Brian Wake

Fifty Hats

A hunter, Daniel ponders, looking downfrom the safety of his tree, its claw-scored boughbarkless in the quiet heat, that can imposeon any creature all the power of the human mind, will surely know how, in its terror, in its questto get away, a lion might behave.

And sometimes, Daniels thinks, it could be said, and balancing ideas on his head like fifty hats, that we are bravest when afraid, wisest when we fail and steadier for having fallen down.

He contemplates, from his high tree, the need to give and take, blend most with least and learn to hang competitive advantage on the wall, like coats off for a fight, and to face even a lion beast to beast.